The Linux Foundation has issued invitations to its first summit on legal topics concerning Linux and Open Source in Boston. A second event will provide legal practitioners with know-how on the topic on an annual basis.

In early August, the organization added two renowned legal practitioners to its ranks; initial activities are now beginning. The first meeting will take place in Boston October 25 to 26; the guest list is restricted to members of the non-profit organization and their legal advisors.

The focus of this first event will be a common legal defense strategy for Linux and its underpinnings. The Foundation sees licensing issues and intellectual property claims arising in the context of the open development structure as the major topics for the summit.

The second summit in spring 2008 is planned as an open summit for legal experts of any hue, no matter what their background is. At this summit, legal practitioners will receive practical legal support on questions of Open Source development and distribution. Working groups are planned for topics such as licensing and patents among other things.

The expert meeting is scheduled to be held on an annual basis starting in 2008. "Many of today's legal summits unnecessarily scare or confuse open source users, developers and vendors," said Jim Zemlin, executive director of The Linux Foundation, referring to the objectives of the event. "The Linux Foundation is able to provide a forum in which it can bring together its members' legal counsel as well as its own legal team to translate issues into the straight-forward matters they really are and to bring practical education to a wider audience." The summits will be organized and chaired by solicitors Karen Copenhaver and Andy Updegrove.

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